Doc

New Zealand and Australia are two places on my bucket list. I was all set up for a 30 day trip to Australia in 2020. I had bought my tickets in 2019. Then CO-VID hit. I couldn't go to Australia, then Virgin Australia went bankrupt and I lost $4000 in airfare. That hurt. Doc

Sorry, Phrunt I forgot you were from New Zealand. Doc

Yes we have a lot of customers in Australia. Doc

We can't call in Velcro® because Velcro® is a trademark name. We use 3M Hook and Loop. But to answer your question Yes the shade cover is attached with Hook and Loop and removeable. The shade cover also has a piece of aluminum strip in it, just like in the nose piece of the masks we all wore for so long. So it has some ability to be molded to your liking. I also have covers being made in the same Digital Camo for Manticores, Equinox 900's and Xterra Pro's. Some of the Minelab staff has already expressed displeasure with some of the covers that are being offered for these machines, because they have no mesh over the speaker. Not only does this impede the sound from the speaker it does not allow heat to be adequately dissipated from the detector. This can cause damage to the detector as well as screen black outs. Doc

Digital Camo is going to be our go to color from now on. It has been exceptionally well recevied. Doc

Phrunt I hear what you're saying, but I know you Aussies, you would all be complaining because the 10 ounce nuggets in the pocket on the detector cover adds too much weight. What kind of scoop are you using that fits in your pocket. I never put a scoop in my pocket. Too easy to lose the scoop. Doc

Thank you, I'm sort of keen on it myself. It's a good blend in with the areas where we hunt gold. Doc

Dear Peter, I learned a long ago that protecting the feet eliminates damage. The first time I used my GPZ7000 I broke the feet off. I was kneeling on the ground testing the dirt with a scoop trying to find the nugget. I stupidly pulled the rod of the detector to get the coil positioned in front of me so I could wave the scoop of dirt over the coil. SNAP! Broke off the feet. I have designed covers for the SDC2300 CTX3030 GPZ7000 and the GPX6000 and this design with the single ply, lite-weight conveyor belt material is absolutely the best way to go. It provides a very stable bottom. You can pull the detector around on the ground and the detector is protected. It's easy to wipe off with a damp cloth. It's going to be especially important with the AXIOM, because the left "foot" has a speaker in it. You want to protect that at all costs because it would be an expensive repair. Additionally having the feet stick through the cover would act like a plow in the dirt and channel filth inside the cover where it would rub against the detector. As a matter of fact I probably get more positive comments about that single ply protection feature than any other feature of the covers I design. I have had numerous customers tell me that they got top dollar for their detectors when they sold it because they looked brand new. They attribute that to Doc's covers. Thank you for your input, Doc

Input welcome. Werid machine to make a cover for. Doc

I have the pretty large 3 D printer. This was a cover model for the Axiom. Doc

What coils have you made stl files for? Are you using CAD to design them? I wonder if I could use my 3D scanner to scan a coil cover then increase the thickness in the 3D print settings. I have just started using the scanner and printer so I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination. But it has helped immensely in scanning detectors and printing out models to use for making fabric protective covers. Doc

That's sweet. And I just happen to have a 3D printer. What thickness did you set the coil cover at? Thank you, Doc

GoodAmount what type filament did you use? ABS? Doc

The bottom line is providing the consumer the information for them to make an informed decision. I think the poll is rather convincing, that most people do not think of a coil cover as an accessory for a coil, they consider it an integral part of the coil to protect their investment. I would rather the price of the coil be increased so that the coil cover is included. It makes for difficult position for me as a dealer to sell someone a coil assuming it came with a coil cover, when there was no information to the contrary, and then the customer has to tell me that no coil cover was included and is upset at me. I don't think any of us have a problem knowing up front that the coil cover is considered an additional item. But I couldn't find that information anywhere. My fault for not asking. As they say, never assume anything. To my line of thinking a coil cover protects your coil. Just like the insulation on your coil cable protects the wiring. I certainly can understand why a coin and relic machine that is used on grass, a coil cover may not be that critical. However, when you are using a gold machine looking for nuggets you are working ground that is covered in broken sharp quartz. On my GPZ7000 I go through a cover after three trips. Doc

By the way I am a Garret dealer and I own an Axiom myself. I was not attempting to insult Garrett as I think the Axiom is a really valuable addition to the metal detecting hobby. But I was shocked to find that the accessory coils do not come with a coil cover and there is nowhere that I can find on the website that says, COIL COVER NOT INCLUDED. I sent an accessory coil to a customer and he called and complained that there was no coil cover. I had not noticed it did not have a coil cover. The customer said well they provide a coil cover with the coils that come with machine. So I think the expectation is that the coils come with covers is a reasonable expectation. I just wanted to see whether I was the only one that assumed coils come with coil covers these days. I think we may have gotten this impression because almost all the accessory after-market coils, Coiltek, Nugget Finder, all come with coil covers. If a coil cover is an additional item, then that should be something that is easily understood especially by me as a dealer so I can let my customer know. I have found Garrett to be extremely easy to work with, but sometimes with all of the things going on at the corporate level something like forgetting to list Optional accessories is forgotten. Doc

Thank you Phrunt.

Please see the poll and give me your opinion. Thank you, Doc

What makes your AM FM radio pick up a broadcast signal and not transmit something back to the radio station? You're listening to Janis Joplin on your radio, but the radio station is receiving the Beatles coming back from your radio through their microphone??? What makes your cell phone cause static on your AM FM radio if you put it close by, but the radio does not interfere with the phone? Why can't you aim your metal detector coil at a passing plane overhead sweep back and forth and detect the metal in the airplane? So many questions, so much magic. 🤣 Doc

The one thing I can say about the SDC2300 is that I have never seen a detector that is so immune to ground mineralization. I have places where the GPZ7000 screams like a banshee. The SDC2300 purrs like a kitten. I am not super fond of the small coil, and I know a lot of users have been delighted when stepping up to the Coiltek coil which I understand works exceptionally well. Doc

How many of you when you were new to this got caught up digging a really deep hole under a bush because of a good target signal? After getting down 18 inches you realize the target is the same as when you started. That's when you realize some one snookered you by putting a bent rusty piece of wire on one of the branches of the bush. When I was first getting started someone told me yeah other detectorists will do that. I said, "Why?" Because they waste 30 minutes of your time and that's 30 minutes less time you get to spend looking for gold. Doc

I'm with Gerry. You have to know when to use discrimination combined with common sense. I have an area that has gold and a load of trash. This is a sandy wash area. The first 6 inches is fluffy sand that is easily kicked away with your boot. Almost all of the trash is in this layer and it comes across as a strong target signal. After digging about 50 of these little pieces of iron I finally started using my head. The subtle targets, were in the hard pack that was below the fluffy sand. All of those targets that were subtle and in the hard pack were gold. SO, I, like Gerry said, "OK, if when I kick the loose sand I move the target, I'm going to ignore it and concentrate on targets in the hard pack. Is there a chance that out of 50 targets I kicked out of the fluffy 6 inches 1 or 2 might have been a small nugget? Maybe. I don't care because what I did know is that 100% of the targets in the hard pack were gold nuggets. So I ignore the targets in the fluff and dig the nuggets in the hard pack. So sometimes you have to play the percentages and be your own discriminator. Doc

Gold Ryder, No doubt the GPX6000 has become a very popular machine and those using it are really happy with it. However die-hard GPZ7000 users like their GPZ7000's. The ones that have abandoned their GPZ7000's for the GPX6000's have told me they did it because they are willing to sacrifice a bit of performance for a lighter weight machine. But let's not forget, the GPX6000 is a pulse induction machine. The GPZ7000 is NOT a pulse induction machine. It's a different kind of machine. So if the people who have abandoned their GPZ7000 for the GPX6000 recognize that there is a performance difference, but the weight was a determining factor. I am assuming that if the GPZ7000 was as lite as the GPX6000 they would not have changed machines. I also know of my customers who have a GPZ7000 who purchased a GPX6000 and used it, and ended up selling the GPX6000 because they wanted the performance of the GPZ, and the difference in weight did not outweigh the performance issue. So it's a matter of what an individual values the most. So that is what forms my opinion that a lighter GPZ machine would appeal to some detectorists. Doc

Steve, Minelab makes mine sweeping metal detectors with Ground Penetrating Radar. They make the Pro-Find 35 pinpointer with discrimination, and you're saying adding discrimination is beyond their capabilities? Funny! They had discrimination in the SD2200 all the way through every iteration of pulse induction up to and including the GPX5000. And while Minelab techs are amazing, they don't think of everything. Again for years and years I have asked the simple question regarding the lower rods for the SD2100 through the GPX5000 vs. the Excalibur. Drill the same holes put the button in the same place. This isn't rocket science. The lower rod is EXACTLY the same with the SD/GP/GPX series and with the Excalibur, with one small difference, on the lower rods for the pulse induction machine the length adjustment button is on the bottom of the lower rod, to match the adjustment holes in the upper rod. On the Excalibur the adjustment button is on the side and the adjustment holes are on the side of the upper rod. So instead of drilling the holes on the Excalibur on the bottom of the upper rod, like the PI machines they continue to drill it on the side. This means a dealer has to carry two different lower rods, the only difference being that the button is in a different place. First thing I have to do with Excal lower rods is put a bright orange sticker on them so I don't mistakenly send the wrong rod out to a customer who is looking for a lower rod for a PI machine. So while Minelab techs are smacking their hands to their foreheads, maybe they could rectify some of the smaller things. Do you think it was a hand to forehead moment when someone said, "Oh boy... "Because the detector is generally used in an outdoor, open environment, the speaker plays the audio with a high volume to account for wind and other ambient noises. Due to the highly sensitive nature of the GPX6000, in some circumstances the speaker itself may introduce detector noise that sounds like interference." That's from Minelab's own website. If a speaker introduces detector noise, that sounds like interference. ISN'T THAT INTERFERENCE? What is this a riddle? "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it still make a sound?" "If there is detector noise in the sound of your detector caused by anything other than the internal speaker it's interference. If the noise in the detector is caused by the speaker it's not interference, IT's JUST DAMN ANNOYING." Remember my original post was my musing about what it would take to interest people in a GPZ8000, my contention is it would have to be lighter and if they would add in discrimination that would be a plus. It's what customers want that sells machines. While there is no competition for the GPZ7000 as Phrunt pointed out, that's not the point. The point is that those who wanted a GPZ7000 already have one and sales have peaked long ago. I have had mine such day 1, but what would it take for me to give it up and buy a new machine? Minelab is looking for new sales. They know that there are a group of early adopters out there that prospecting is their passion and if Minelab makes it, those folks will buy it. I would estimate, that 75% of current GPZ7000 owners would but a new version GPZ machine providing it had features such as being lite and had discrimination, any other enhancements would only increase that percentage. Then again I am looking at what I would want. I'm almost 74. Six titanium pins in my hips, one joint in my elbow removed, torn rotator cuff repaired, Cervical degenerative joint disease, 5 level cervical nerves surgically cut to relieve pain... so something lighter would be a real selling point for me. I mean it's like the bass fisherman that has the best rod and reel money can buy, and it's his/her passion. They enter every bass fishing tournament, they have the best of everything. Do you think they can resist the next best innovation that comes along in a rod and reel? All these old detectors come with rods. Does that keep people from buying carbon fiber replacement rods? NOPE. They buy them because they are lighter, or maybe because they are longer, or have more adjustment holes, or maybe just because they look cool. Minelab might miss a few things, but not many. However, one thing I think they do have dialed in is the buying cycles of their consumers for the different markets. My gut says, a newer GPZ is on the horizon, if not later this year, certainly by next. I heard a conversation at a dealer conference in which a Metal Detector with GPR was being discussed with one of the higher ups at Minelab. The question was whether that would ever be available for the hobby market, especially for relic hunting. These were two dealers who were speaking with the Minelab exec. The Minelab exec said, "I doubt it. It would have to have a price tag of around $20,000." The dealers said, "We have customers who would gladly pay that." The Minelab exec, looked surprised and said, "Really?" But I could see the wheels start to grind. So you never know what Minelab will surprise us with next. Doc

I believe Gerry served in the Marine Corp. You have to be made of tough stuff to be a Marine. We all thank him for his service. Gerry, I like you think that a new GPZ8000 has to be on the horizon. I can't imagine what they could do to make a better performing machine that the GPZ7000, however, I can imagine them scaling things down. If they can bring out a GPX8000 that performs as well as the GPZ7000 but comes in under the 4lb mark, something along the lines of the GPX6000, I think they would have a hit on their hands. I've only said this until I'm blue in the face, but if they would just add in discrimination. If they did that they would open up not only the gold market but the Civil War relic hunter market as well. An enormous amount of GPX5000 have been sold out East in relic country primarily because they relic hunters love the depth, but they want that discrimination. In gold country over here we are always searching out Old Timer diggings and looking for missed gold. Those sites are almost always productive but they are so trashy. The old timers threw all their scrap iron, cans, nails, everywhere. And some of those things are amazingly deep. Doc

Coincidentally we are making covers for the GPX6000 in Aussie Digital Green Camo. This is just a picture of a protyype. The print on the labels will be dark brown. Doc